


Veritas Ex Love Bug

by AppleCherry108



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Fluff and Angst, I feel like "angst" is too strong of a word this is just ridiculousness and denial, Love Confessions, M/M, Memes, Trope Subversion/Inversion, love bug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-25 04:35:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12028230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AppleCherry108/pseuds/AppleCherry108
Summary: Coran looks pale, he points a shaky finger at the bug, which is now crawling lazily up the castle wall. “That’s an Amortensia Insectoidis.”Or, In which I write a Love Bug AU that defeats the entire purpose of the trope. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been binging Love Bug fics so ofc I had to write my own. Inspired by @eyugho's art on tumblr and each and every single AO3 author who's written their take.
> 
> But of course my name wouldn't be AppleCherry108 if my idiot brain didn't take this idea in the polar opposite direction as the source content and then dump a bucket-load of angst on it.
> 
> It's still pretty damn fluffy. And memey. Oh god, so memey.

Decontamination procedures exist for a reason.

And _maybe_ ( _Coran_ ), they should start applying those protocols to the alien delegates that board the castleship, not just the paladins. Just a thought.

Needless to say, no one really thought about this issue until it actually became an issue.

The team has just finished negotiating an alliance with the Troghian High Council—a very amicable race of rain forest-dwelling aliens—when Hunk spots it.

“What the quiznak is that?!” he shrieks, taking cover behind the safety of Pidge. The ‘that’ in question is a bug-like creature about the size of a credit card, with far too many legs for anyone’s comfort. It looks like the adorable, unholy love child of a moth, a beetle, and a spider. Its body is wine-dark, highlighted by the scarlet tips of its many legs. The rosy fluff that encircles its head like a collar strongly reminds them of cotton candy. All four of it wings are an eyesore-hot pink that, when folded in to its body, look suspiciously like a heart.

“Chill, Hunk. It’s just a bug.” Pidge drones, barely glancing up from her work to pay any mind to her friend.

“Uh oh.” They turn to Coran, who’s stopped dead in his tracks to gape wide-eyed and horror-stricken at the gaudy insect on the wall.

“Uh oh?” they both parrot back.

“That’s a…” Coran looks pale, he points a shaky finger at the bug, which is now crawling lazily up the castle wall. “That’s an _Amortensia Insectoidis_.”

Pidge and Hunk glance at the bug, to Coran, then back to the bug again, a blank—if perplexed—expression on both their faces.

Coran swallows audibly. “The havoc it could wreak is unfathomable.” he whispers.

Pidge very calmly closes her laptop. “I’m gonna to catch it.”

“What? No! You heard Coran! ‘The havoc it could wreak is unfathomable!’” Hunk exclaims frantically, ducking down further behind her whilst biting his nails.

“What are we supposed to do? Let it run around the ship wreaking said havoc?”

“Number Five is right, I’m afraid. We must contain that beast before it can affect any of us.”

“Oh great, so it can _affect_ us? Like, what? Like, like some kind of _evil mind-controlling space bug?_ ” Hunk has castled himself behind Coran now as Pidge is headed towards enemy territory. She’s fished out a glass sample container from her lab supplies and is slowly creeping over to evil space bug.

“Something like that.” Coran mutters.

Pidge tiptoes slowly to where the bug has finally stopped moving on the wall. Its little antennae twitch every time she takes a step. “C’mere little guy, nothing to be afraid of. Got a nice new house for you. I’ll even poke some air holes in the top once you’re— _shit!_ ” Just as she tries to close the container over it, the bug flies off, its four beating wings making a quiet humming sound.

“Go after it!”

“Get it, Pidge! Get it, get it, _get it!_ ”

“I’m trying!”

All three of them run out of the lab. The bug is surprisingly fast, and hard to spot for something so viciously bright pink. Pidge chases after it valiantly, jar still at the ready, lid in her other hand, ready to trap the damn thing if it would just land and _stop moving_.

They chase it all the way down to the training deck, where Keith, Lance, and Shiro are all running different simulations. “Everyone down! Alien space bug on the loose!” Pidge announces as she barrels past Shiro. He pauses his hand-to-hand exercise to gawk after her.

“What?”

“Unfathomable havoc will be wrought if we don’t catch it!” Hunk cries.

Lance fumbles the shot he was trying to make and turns his attention to the others. He waves over at Keith, who’s still engrossed in his duel with the gladiator. He notices Lance’s cue, however, and pauses the match.

“Where did it _go_?” Pidge grumbles. She squats down to check under some of the training equipment. The others gradually gather around her.

“What exactly is going on?” Shiro asks, not sounding nearly concerned and/or terrified enough in Hunk’s opinion.

“Alright, so we’ve been boarded by an extremely hostile, mind-controlling space bug that will wreak—”

“Unfathomable havoc, no yeah, we got that part.” Lance says, surveying the training deck.

“How did it get aboard the ship?” Shiro asks, seriousness finally rising to a level Hunk approves of.

“Ah yes, well. It’s a species native to warmer, more tropical climates, much like that of Trogha. It stands to reason that it most likely hitched a ride on one of the Troghian delegates.”

“I thought we had a decontamination chamber. Don’t we screen all incoming passengers through it as a safety precaution?”

Coran bristles, nervously twirling his mustache. “Yes, well. It _is_ a rather large castle, and there’re only so many of us. We’re a bit…understaffed. Some of the more basic protocols may go…unobserved.”

Shiro pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a sigh.

“So what’s this thing even look like?” asks Lance, “What should we be looking for?”

“Is it pink?” Keith asks suddenly.

“Yeah…” Pidge says cautiously, crawling out from under an equipment rack.

“I found it.” They all turn to Keith and take a startled step back. The offending insect is sitting innocently on his nose. He glowers at it cross-eyed.

“Keith,” Coran chokes out, “hold _perfectly still_.” He begins inching towards him, Pidge is on her feet in less than a second doing the same, jar once again at the ready. “Just…don’t move. You don’t want it to bite you.”

“ _’Unfathomable havoc’…_ ” Hunk whispers dramatically.

Keith growls, twitching his nose slightly and making the Altean give a sharp gasp. “What sort of havoc? What can this thing _do_ to me?”

Coran takes another careful step towards him, hands raised and gaze pointedly fixed on the bug gently ruffling its wings against Keith’s eyelashes. “The _Amortensia Insectoidis_ … Sometimes known as the Love Bug. One bite from this dastardly little fellow will make the victim fall in love with the first person they see.”

“WHAT?” Keith shrieks, whipping his head around and breaking the tense hush that’d fallen over the group. He lets out an extremely unflattering screech.

“Got it!” Pidge shouts triumphantly, screwing the jar lid tightly shut. She had managed to nab it right as it jumped from Keith’s face, but Keith…

 _Keith_ has spun around, clutching his nose with both hands, doubled over in what could be pain. Everyone has frozen, all teetering on the edge of rushing to him. A long moment passes.

“Keith?” Lance asks tentatively, leaning that one step in closer to the black paladin. “You okay?”

Keith’s shoulders relax and his hands fall slightly. His nose is scrunched up and his brows are stuck together in a wince. There’s a bright red dot squarely between his eyes that’s already starting to pucker up from the rest of his skin. He looks up at Lance.

“Ow.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAHHHH???!!!!!!
> 
> Thank you all so much for such a positive response!!! I wasn't sure if this would even get any attention but--BLESS YOU KLANCE FANDOM, YA'LL ARE THE BEST! <333
> 
> Here's ch 2! the third and final part will be posted later tonight--it's too short to make you guys wait too long between chapters (it's ~6k by the end).
> 
> Hope you guys like this chapter!! and even though the conclusion will be out in a few hours, i love love LOVE all your comments!! ya'll are too sweet! <3333

Lance sucks in a breath, eyes wide. Keith looked at him. Keith looked at him _first_. Something in his chest clenches tightly as he waits for what feels like hours for Keith to react. At long last, Keith moves. He reaches a hand back up to his face to worry at the bite mark which is, of course, heart-shaped. His wince has hardened back into a scowl.

“I’m fine.” He grumbles, still rubbing gingerly at the bite.

Everyone seems to remember how to breathe again. “Are you sure?” Shiro posits slowly. “How do you feel?”

“I feel fine.” Keith repeats, turning towards his friend.

Shiro and Hunk let out a relieved sigh but Coran and Pidge exchange a look. “You feel fine?” Coran asks in disbelief.

“Yes.” Keith replies, clearly agitated for having to answer the same question a third time.

“You don’t feel…floaty? Giddy? _Nauseous_?”

“You mean besides the light stinging in the middle of my face?” Sarcasm. “Like I said I feel _fine_.”

Coran brings a curious hand to his chin. “Was I wrong?” he mutters.

Lance reaches out and hesitantly places a hand on Keith’s shoulder. “You don’t feel…different?”

Keith turns to the taller paladin, his scowl softening into a sort of exasperated pout. “Not a bit.”

Lance’s expression falls to something unreadable for a fraction of a second before his trademark grin appears and he playfully slaps Keith on the back. “Well alright then! Crisis averted! No havoc to be wrought here today!”

Pidge holds the jar up to the light to better inspect her prisoner as it softly paws at the glass. “I wanna run some tests.”

“Yes, I think that would be wise.” Coran darts his eyes back to Keith. He looks suspicious. “Come along, Number Four!”

“What!” Keith throws up his hands. “But I’m fine! I _feel fine!_ ”

Coran ignores him and places a hand on his back, leading him off the training deck and out the door after Pidge.

The remaining three paladin give each other A Look before quickly falling into step behind the others.

 

*   *   *

 

The entire short walk to the medical bay consists mostly of an increasingly annoyed Keith’s repeated protests. He’s said he’s fine so many times now that the words are starting to sound foreign and wrong to the other’s ears.

Coran had alerted Allura to the situation on the way, and when they arrive she’s already prepping the equipment. After an array of tests, far more than reasonably necessary in Keith’s very vocal opinion, she concludes that he is, in fact, fine.

“I don’t understand.” Coran frowns. He’s pulled up some sort of encyclopedia entry of the bug on the holoscreen. The picture on the screen is identical to the prisoner in the jar which, good on her word, Pidge poked some air holes in. “I wasn’t wrong. It _is_ a Love Bug.” He tilts his head. “So why isn’t it affecting Keith?”

Said Keith crosses his arms and huffs loudly. “Maybe its venom isn’t potent? Maybe your data from, what, ten thousand years ago? Is just a little out of date? Who’s to say this thing didn’t evolve and adapt out of its magic love powers?”

Allura hums concedingly. “You may have a point. If we want to know for sure, we’ll have to test it on another subject.”

“Another subject? Who’re you going to persuade into being a lab rat?” Pidge quips from her seat, still intently focused on her own test results of the bug itself.

Allura grins mischievously. “Not a _rat_ …” The others follow her gaze over to the jar where the space mice are staring in awe with their little paws pressed to the glass.

When they realize everyone is looking at them, they quickly jolt upright, and when they read what Allura’s thinking, the three smallest mice quickly place a paw to their noses. The larger yellow one, distracted by mimicking the Love Bug's movements like a mirror, finally registers that the others are staring at it. Upon seeing its fellow mice already beaten it to ‘nose goes,’ it glances between them all, frantically papping it’s own nose repeatedly. It looks up at Allura and gives a pathetic squeak.

“Now, now,” she reassures it, picking it up by the scruff of its neck. She tries but fails to hide her smile. “It won’t be that bad.” She lowers the mouse into the jar. The love bug leans forward and seems to sniff the mouse. The mouse, shaking and melodramatic as always, has its eyes shut with one arm thrown over its face. It reaches out a shaking paw to the curious bug. The bug gives the proffered paw a light nibble. The yellow mouse squeaks indignantly and quickly retracts its paw. Allura immediately brings the mouse to her face, giving it an impatient but curious look. Pidge screws the lid back onto the Love Bug’s jail.

After a long moment, the mouse slowly opens its eyes, which immediately go wide upon seeing Allura. It squeaks happily and lunges at her. She let’s out a soft “oh!” as she cradles the mouse that is now nuzzling her cheek affectionately.

“So much for that theory.” Pidge deadpans, adjusting her glasses.

Lance and Hunk glance back at Keith (who has now doubled down on his annoyed pout), and then at Allura. “Maybe he’s immune?” Hunk offers. “Y’know, because he’s part Galra?”

_Immune_ , yes! Keith gives Allura a pointed look as he gestures at Hunk.

“I’m afraid not. The Love Bug’s effects are well-documented across nearly every known species on record, and that includes many cases of Galrans falling under its spell.” Coran says almost apologetically.

Keith scowls. “Then maybe humans are immune.” He says a little too gruffly, missing the way Lance flinches at his tone.

Coran seems to consider this. “Perhaps, but human brain chemistry is nearly identical to Altean, not to mention at least a dozen other species we know of. It seems unlikely.”

“And if space mice are anything like Earth mice, there’s only about a three-percent genetic difference between us and them” Pidge chimes in. “Which is why we even use them for medical testing on Earth anyway.” she adds matter-of-factly.

Allura furrows her brows in consideration; Coran mimics her. “So the Love Bug’s venom is acting as expected…”

“And there’s no empirical evidence to suggest he’d be immune…”

“Then Keith _should’ve_ fallen in love with Lance.”

A tick of silence.

“Unless…”

“Unless,”

The Alteans look up at Keith from their pondering. Allura bites back a smile, Coran beams knowingly. Pidge takes one look at them and one look at Keith and breaks into a face-splitting grin.

“Unless _what_?!” Keith demands, crossing his arms tightly.

Next to him, Hunk makes a small noise of understanding and covers his mouth to suppress a giggle.

“WHAT? Unless WHAT? Will someone _please_ explain to me—”

“Unless you were already in love with Lance, dude.” Hunk says fondly.

Keith immediately boils to a burning shade of scarlet. “That’s—Disgusting! A-and, WRONG. I don’t even—why would I—I’ve never loved anyone! Ever! In my life! It’s none of your—and you have the _NERve_ , the _audaCITY_ to, Lance is my _coworker_ and he’s— _stupid_ , face-wise! And how, how do I know, FRANKLY, that _YOU’RE_ not in love with him?? Maybe you’re trying to throw me off, huh?!” Keith splutters, his voice cracking on nearly every syllable. He’s red all the way up to his ears and all the way down to his fingertips, a shade of embarrassment that could put the freshest tomatoes to shame.

Everyone is staring, the room has gone quiet save for Keith possibly hyperventilating through his nose. His eyes are wild and bulging and darting between each and every one of the others but very pointedly _not_ at Lance.

Another tick of this flustered display and then it’s Lance breaking the awkward silence. “Keith,”

And that’s all it takes. Keith is bolting out the door before anyone can even blink, absconding the fuck away to who-knows-where. If anyone seeing this would think that his friends would be considerate or feel sorry for him, that person would be sorely mistaken. Pidge bursts out into howling laughter, doubled over and struggling to catch a single breath. Hunk tries but soon he’s snorting through the thin line of his terrible poker face. Even Shiro has a small chuckle about it.

Lance, however, well Lance just frowns at the door, not sure what the others find so goddamn funny about this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keith's flustered outburst is 100% a Parks and Rec quote. ✌


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time for...
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> ...Angst. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

He can’t believe it. Outed by a _bug_ , a bug that didn’t even have the courtesy to give him the courage to tell Lance himself. Maybe if it had, like, _amplified_ his feelings for Lance, or helped him overcome his crippling inhibitions, then _maybe_ this wouldn’t be so bad. Keith can just imagine it. Somewhere in a different reality, he’s bitten by a Love Bug that makes him gushy and lovey, cuddly even! In this entirely preferable reality, he’d have no problem telling Lance how much he adores him, how much he loves his eyes or his laugh, or his wonderfully terrible jokes.

But no, in _this_ reality Keith made it to the Lion hangar in record time. His lungs are burning and he’s struggling to catch a single breath, and he’ll _claim_ the tears in his eyes are from oxygen deprivation and overexertion, and definitely _not_ because he’s a _goddamn fool_ who just got his heart broken. Nope, the tears are—oh wow that’s a lot of tears—are definitely because he ran from the med bay to the Lions in under three minutes.

Keith wheezes, bent over, supporting himself with one hand on the cool metal wall. His face burns hotter with every tear that slides down his cheeks. His breath wavers, threatening to break down sobbing with each shaky inhale. He’s feels so _stupid_ , so fucking goddamn _stupid_. Why’d it have to be _Lance_? If he was going to get bit by some deus ex Love Bug, why couldn’t it have been _literally anyone else?_ Why not Shiro, or Pidge, or anyone that the damn bug’s effects would’ve actually _affected_ him. Yeah it would’ve been embarrassing as hell, especially when it was all said and done, but _god any_ thing would’ve been better than _this_.

Keith tries to take a few steadying breaths, counting backwards from five. It works, sort of. He’s at least more aware of his surroundings, more aware of a pressure nudging the back of his mind.

It’s the Black Lion.

He swipes at his face with his sleeve, trying but failing to stop his tears and only succeeding in making himself look more disheveled and pathetic.

 _What’s wrong?_ she asks. Keith briefly considers trying to put on a front, to be the fearless leader she’s come to know him as. But Keith is also a teenage boy who’s been humiliated beyond his wits, so he doesn’t exactly care about lying to a gigantic robot cat right now. He let’s his emotions wash over him, flooding through his mind and splashing like waves against Black’s. Letting himself just _feel_ brings a new round of tears to his eyes.

_Oh. Oh no. This—this is not—_

Keith can’t help the wet laugh that escapes his lips as he feels the Black Lion do a one-eighty out of his mind. She recoils, quite stiffly, and blocks him out. Apparently she’s just as emotionally adept as he is, which, let’s be fair, is not at all. He supposes it’s just yet another sign that he was always meant to pilot her. He can’t blame her though. He’s a mess. Keith wouldn’t want to deal with Keith right now either.

 _I got this._ A shiver runs up his spin as another voice floats across his consciousness. It’d been so long since he’d heard it that the sound is almost bittersweet; it makes him want to cry all the more. He turns to face Red just in time to see her drop her particle barrier: an open invitation for him to come closer. He does. He approaches her cautiously, like she might bite him if he made the wrong move. But she doesn’t budge. She remains statuesque as ever as he comes close enough to touch her. He reaches out a hand to stroke her leg and can feel her purr rumble in every corner of his mind, her presence so overwhelming yet comforting and achingly familiar that he can’t help but to collapse onto her paw, sobbing uncontrollably.

“It’s not fair.”

_I know._

“He wasn’t supposed to find out!”

_I know._

“Not…at least not like _this_.” He shoves his face into the crook of her paw, wrapping his arms as far around her leg as he can manage.

_I know, little cub, I know._

Keith thinks maybe she really does know. Maybe she’s known about his huge gross crush this whole time. He hugs her leg a little tighter and wonders if she’s told Lance.

 _Of course not._ She pauses. _But I would like to. He’s very kind; you have good taste._

Keith can’t help but laugh against her, shoulders shaking. Red seems different, he thinks maybe Lance has been a good influence on her.

She hums agreeably to that and he laughs again, heart aching both for his old lion and her ridiculous self-assured opinions. “Good, kitty.” he mumbles and gives her leg another tight squeeze.

 

*   *   *

 

Allura stifles another giggle, wiping a tear from her eye, and Hunk is trying very valiantly once again to keep his amusement under wraps. But Pidge? Pidge is gasping for breath on her back from down on the floor, clutching her sides in a vain attempt to keep herself together.

“This,” she proclaims, throwing her arms out above her and gesturing wildly, “this is the best plot twist I ever could've asked for!” She lets out another cackle. “Lance!” The red paladin turns at his name, still frowning. “Lance you, you called him your _rival!_ You’ve done nothing but antagonize him since day one! And he, he just _went along with it!_ All to hide a giant gay crush! Oh my god! This is the best day of my life!” She let’s her arms fall across her face, muffling what she deems to be another entirely appropriate round of hysterics.

“ _Pidge,_ ” Shiro warns sharply, “ _enough._ ” She shrugs from her spot on the floor and downgrades to breathy giggles.

Shiro didn’t cut in soon enough, though; Lance’s face has turned bright red at her words, his jaw clenched. Hunk notices his friends’ distress and immediately sobers from any humor he had previously found in the situation. “ _Oh fuck._ ” he whispers to himself. Lance darts his eyes at Hunk, a dangerous look in them, before he quickly diverts them away again. Hunk swears again, not meaning for his friend to have heard him the first time.

“ _It’s not_ —…like that.” Lance mutters more to himself than Pidge. He closes his eyes a moment before looking up resolutely. “It could still be the bug. I mean, it _makes_ a person fall in love, right? It’s all just a chemical overdose, and if there’s one thing I know about Keith it’s that he doesn’t handle being overwhelmed by _anything_ well, especially when it comes to… _feelings_.” Lance nods, sounding surer with each word. “If I had to imagine that _mullethead_ being suddenly and _unwillingly_ in love…yeah that’s, that’s about how well I’d expect it to go.” He finishes with a sigh. The others (Pidge), seem to have finally calmed down enough to hear him out. Lance glances at Allura and his stomach drops; the pitying look she’s giving him is more than he can stand.

“It’s a good theory,” Coran offers, clearing his throat. “But the, er, _effects_ of the Love Bug are _quite_ consistent across species. It’s victims are, how should I put this? Much more…affectionate.”

“Yes! For instance,” Allura pipes up, gesturing to the mouse still glued to her face. As if on cue, she gives a start, face flushing. She shoots the mouse a dirty look. “You can’t—! _I am much larger than you._ ” she whispers at it harshly.

Normally Lance would latch on to _whatever that was_ for some prime terrible jokes, but he just doesn’t have it in him. “But we still don’t know if it affects _humans_ that way. Sure it might make mice, or even _Galra_ , all lovey-dovey, but…” He shakes his head, unable to finish. He looks like a kicked puppy left out in the rain—Hunk can’t stand seeing his friend so… _miserable_. “How can we know that Keith… That his _feelings_ are…”

_Real._

Hunk can feel his heart breaking on behalf of his friend. He sniffles loudly and asks, “Coran, how long do the bug’s effects usually last?”

Coran fiddles with the ends of his mustache while he thinks. “Anywhere from a few vargas to a few quintants. Why do you ask?”

“A few days, huh?” Hunk mumbles. “That’s not so bad.” He nods, coming to a decision. “Alright, who’s gonna take one for the team?” He marches over to the examination table and snatches up the containment jar. The entire group proceeds to lose their collective shit.

“Hunk! What are you doing?!”

“Be careful with that!”

“I’ll do it.”

They all pause trying to wrestle the jar out of Hunk’s grasp to gawk at Shiro. He shifts awkwardly, an embarrassed flush dusting his cheeks. “I’ll…” he sighs reluctantly. “I’ll do it. I owe Keith that much.”

Hunk look momentarily taken aback, but his resolve quickly finds him again. “Alright then.” Hunk swallows hard and makes eye contact with Shiro. “If I die, tell Shay I went down taking out an entire Garlan battalion.” he says grimly. Shiro nods, just as serious.

Before anyone realizes what’s happening, Hunk is ripping the lid off the jar and stuffing his hand in. Lance and Allura shriek, Pidge yanks the jar away, slamming the lid back on violently and glaring daggers at Hunk. Coran mouths “unfathomable chaos” as they wait with baited breath.

Hunk’s eyes are screwed shut in a painful expression, but soon the tension melts away and they flutter open. He stares at Shiro; Shiro stares back, looking like he might bolt. Hunk’s eyes go wide and all his features soften. He smiles at Shiro like it’s the first time he’s really seen him. Realization dawns on Lance; Pidge makes an obnoxious gagging noise.

“I,” Hunk starts softly, taking a half step forward. Shiro whines low in his throat, almost backing away but catches himself. “I never realized…” Hunk’s voice is low, _sultry_. It’s completely alien to the others’ ears. He takes another step towards Shiro, hand outstretched. A few more paces and he splays his hand across his chest. A bright, embarrassed pink quickly leaps to Shiro’s face. “I never realized how _swole_ you are.” And he gives Shiro’s peck a squeeze.

Shiro groans loudly, hiding his face in his hand while Hunk feels up his muscles. Allura is speechless, Pidge keeps yelling “oh my god” and “why”.

“Well that’s a more…standard, reaction.” Coran is flustered. He plays with his mustache so much the ends start to fray. “At least we know for sure that this little bugger’s the real deal.” He tries to laugh but it just comes off as nervous hysterics. “Though I’m not sure why we…” he let’s his thought trail off. He had turned to make the quip at Lance but Lance was no where to be seen. “Where’s Lance?”

Pidge yelps. “Where’s the Love Bug?!”

 

*   *   *

 

He finds him sitting on Red’s paw, leaning back on her leg with his knees brought to his chest. “Hey.” Lance approaches Keith slowly. Keith looks up at the greeting but quickly turns away to scrub his tear-stained face on his sleeve. “Thought you’d be here.” He offers him a weak smile.

“Oh yeah?” Keith sniffles, “and why’s that?” It comes out much harsher than he wanted it to.

Lance shrugs, unaffected, a small smile on his face. “Red told me.”

Keith shoots the Red Lion a glare. “ _Traitor._ ” He can feel her snicker in the back of his mind. He sighs begrudgingly and turns slightly, but not enough to meet Lance’s eyes. “What do you want?”

“Came to check on you, see how you’re doing.” He rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet.

Keith scoffs. “You mean you came here to mock me? Like ‘Oh haha very funny, the moody loner has a big fat crush on the charming handsome one’.” He slumps forwards and presses his face to his knees. “I’ll pass, thanks.”

Lance frowns. “You _sure_ the bug didn’t affect you?” Keith shoots him a glare and Lance throws a hand up. “Okay okay, it’s just, you called me…never mind.” he mumbles.

Keith sighs again, more resigned this time. “What do you want, Lance?” He sounds somewhere in between annoyed and desperate.

“I just—” he flushes. “I came to say my piece, okay?” Keith quirks an eyebrow at him. “Look we—we ran some more tests after you…left,” _Ran out._ “and the bug _definitely_ affects humans like Coran said it should.” He gives the other boy a tentative grin. “Wish you could’ve seen it, man. Hunk is _all over_ Shiro, it’s pretty great.”

“Get to the point, Lance.” He can’t see it, but Lance _knows_ Keith is rolling his eyes at him and it makes him smile.

“The _point_ is…I think they were right. I mean, between Hunk going gaga for Shiro and one of the space mice trying to seduce Allura, I think the bug really _does_ make you fall in love with the first person you see. Like crazy, clingy, I-wanna-be-all-over-you love.” He pauses, not for dramatic effect but because his heart is racing and he doesn’t want to fuck this up. “ _Unless_ you happen to already be in love with that person.”

Keith scoffs again. “And?”

“And…” Lance reveals the jar from behind his back, Love Bug and all. Keith stiffens, eyes wide. “Like I said, I’m here to say my piece.”

Keith scowls at him. “If your ‘piece’ is to torture me…”

Lance frowns, upset that he just _isn't getting it._ But then again, it _is_ Keith. Even when you spell something out clearly it always somehow gets lost in translation. “No, I—” Lance stutters, fumbling with the jar lid. “I need to prove a point.” The jar opens with a pop and Lance coaxes the bug out onto his hand. He lets it crawl over him, twisting his arm awkwardly when it decides that it wants to wander upside down. The Love Bug twitches its fluffy feelers and before he can say anything, Lance let’s out a yelp and screws his eyes shut. The jar falls to the ground but doesn’t break, just makes a loud _thunk_ as it bounces once and rolls a few feet away. The Love Bug flutters away from Lance, but Keith is too preoccupied to even think about going after it.

Long ticks pass until: “Uh, hey. So…” Lance’s eyes are still shut but he lifts his brows. “I don’t wanna like, fall in love with a lion or anything so… Marco?” Even as he is, he manages a nervous grin.

Keith bites back a snort. “Polo.” He replies dryly.

Lance perks up towards his voice, facing him squarely now. He slowly, carefully, peels his eyes open.

He locks eyes with Keith, who seems to forget that breathing is a thing he should be doing. Lance stares at him, almost blankly, but a warm, gentle smile soon spreads across his lips.

“…Lance?” His voice cracks. Keith clears his throat, straining to keep his composure. “How, uh… How do you feel?”

Lance closes his eyes and hums, still wearing that sweet smile. “I feel fine.” He shrugs casually.

Keith does a double take. “Wh—but,” his brows knit in confusion. “I—I don’t understand…”

“I told you, I wanted to prove a point.”

“But what was the point?”

Lance chuckles, making a swarm of butterflies erupt in Keith’s stomach. “My _point_ is…” he saunters towards Keith, “you never stopped to consider that the useless goofball might just like the fearless leader back.”

Before he knows it, Lance has backed Keith up against Red’s leg; they’re barely standing a foot apart. He’s still smiling. “I—” Keith chokes a little on a sob he refuse to let rise to the surface. His face is burning and he looks up at the taller boy with wide teary eyes. “But you…you’re so far out of my league, why would you—”

Before Keith can even finish, Lance bursts out laughing, stumbling back a step. Keith bristles and puffs out a cheek. “ _ME?_ Out of— _YOUR?_ Oh man, I _knew_ it! The bug DID mess with your head! And here I am _baring_ my soul to you!”

“I’m serious!” Keith pouts, though he can feel a smile tugging at his lips.

Lance wipes a tear from his eye. “Alright Mr. Totally-Right-In-The-Head-And-Not-Influenced-By-A-Magic-Space-Bug, what makes you think _I’m_ out of _your_ league?” He rolls his eyes heavily so Keith knows how ridiculous he’s being.

“Uh, I don’t know? Maybe because you’re good with people? And Words, and feelings? Things I am definitely _not_.” He pauses and lowers his voice. “You’re logical and cool under pressure, you think before you act, weighing all the options, you—” he sighs. “…I don’t know why you’d ever go for a hothead like me…”

Lance seems genuinely taken aback. “Keith…” He places a hand on his shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “You may be a hothead, but you’re got a hot head— _face._ ”

Keith snorts. “I was being serious!” he laughs, swatting at Lance’s hand.

Lance grins. “So was I!”

Keith gives him a little shove, which only makes Lance’s laughter grow. Keith can’t help but grin at the sound. “But seriously,” he looks up at Lance, tugging at the front of his shirt, bringing them closer together. “Why would you like someone like me?” He lowers his gaze. He can feel Lance staring and it makes his face burn hotter. Keith’s stomach sinks and he feels like Lance must pity him, but the red paladin just gently wraps his arms around his shoulders and rests his chin on his head.

“Because you’re perfect? You’re naturally good at… _everything_ —you make everything you do seem effortless. You’re an amazing pilot and a great leader, and you’re so _passionate_ , sometimes to a fault. You care more about your friends than anything else in the universe.” Lance sighs and Keith swears he can feel that languid smile against his scalp. “And you’re _beautiful_ … Shit dude, you have perfect skin, how is that fair?”

Keith pushes him away slightly with a huff so he can meet his eyes. Lance wears a crooked smile that looks fake and _wrong_ , probably hoping to deflect him with that last joke. “You’re an idiot.” Keith grumbles, glowering at him. That misplaced smile crooks higher.

“Now you’re getting it.”

 _But you’re_ my _idiot._ Keith wants to say, but instead he tugs Lance down into a kiss. He sighs softly against Keith’s lips and he thinks that maybe he’s trying to say his name but he won’t let him. Instead, Keith releases his shirt to bury his hands in Lance’s hair. He pulls gently at the back of his neck, pressing closer; Lance lets his hands fall to his waist and presses back, craving the contact.

Lance seals his lips, cutting off the kiss so he can breathe. He presses a kiss to Keith’s forehead instead and rests his cheek on his shoulder. “I love you.” He sighs.

Keith’s heart skips a beat and he buries his face in the nape of his neck. “I love you more.” He mumbles.

He can feel Lance’s indignant huff more than he can hear it. “Oh, it’s going to be like _that_ , huh?” Keith hums, smoothing out his shirt where his tight grip had wrinkled it, working up the courage to look Lance in the face. When he does, another wave of butterflies hits him. Lance is grinning wider than he’s ever seen before and he’s sure that his face is going to split clean in half.

“You said I was the best, so don’t I deserve the best? Why do you think I chose you?”

Lance smiles through his confusion but once Keith’s meaning hits him he turns bright red to the tips of his ears and has to look away. “Y—!” _God_ that was smooth. I’m going to steal that one.”

Keith laughs. “And use it on who?”

“You! Y’know, once you’ve forgotten it was your line in the first place.”

“Nu-uh, nope. I’m going to remember that one forever.” No amount of lip biting can hide his smile.

Lance groans dramatically but he still wears that face-splitting grin. “ _Ugh!_ Damn Kogane, can’t even give me an _inch!_ ”

Keith hums. “I think I can give you more than just one.” It slips out before he can stop himself.

Lance gawks at him, his blush turning redder by the second. “ _Dude!_ ” He covers his mouth with one hand and looks away, laughing hysterically.

“I’m sorry!” Keith whines, clearly not. “I don’t know what got into me.”

“With any luck, me.”

Keith’s laughter rises to a pitch and he presses his face into Lance’s shirt. “We have no filter!”

“We’re so embarrassing!” he hugs him tightly. “Pidge will never let us live this down!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mini Epilogue:
> 
> "Where's the bug?! _What do you mean it's loose again??_ " Pidge pinches the bridge of her nose and spares an exhausted glance at Hunk, still fawning over an extremely embarrassed Shiro. "Great. So it just needs to bite me and then this circle of stupidity will be complete."
> 
> \----------------------------------------------------
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and for all the lovely comments!! <333 Seriously, this was such a positive experience, it makes me want to write more vld fic! <3


End file.
